Technical Field
The technical field relates generally to the field of free cooling, and more particularly to an indirect free cooling module.
Background Discussion
Free cooling refers to cooling techniques in which low external air temperatures are used to assist in cooling operations. For example, rather than using electrically powered air condition systems exclusively, free cooling techniques make use of cool air sourced from an external environment. Free cooling methods may be either direct or indirect. Direct free cooling refers to a cooling technique where air sourced from an external environment, such as the outdoors, is mixed directly with hot air sourced from an internal environment, such as a room in a building. Direct free cooling has certain disadvantages. For example, pollutants that may be present in the air sourced from the external environment may be transferred to the internal environment that is being cooled. The pollutants may be damaging to living organisms, such as humans, plants, and animals that may be present in a room that is in contact with a direct free cooling device. The pollutants may also be damaging to equipment, such as electronic equipment that is located in a room serviced by the direct free cooling device. The pollutants can interfere with the proper working order of the equipment, which leads to increased maintenance costs a shorter useful life.
In contrast, indirect free cooling refers to a cooling technique where air sourced from an external environment is mixed indirectly with hot air sourced from an internal environment. This is accomplished through the use of one or more intermediate devices that function to transfer heat from the internal environment, such as a room containing computer equipment, to cool air delivered from an external environment through the use of an intermediate fluid.